On November 3, 2025, the CAIMed Meet-Up "Ethics of AI in Medicine" took place at the Gesellschaft für wissenschaftliche Datenverarbeitung mbH Göttingen (GWDG). Researchers from various disciplines discussed ethical and legal challenges of AI implementation in medicine.

Impulses from Ethics and Law

Dr. Thomas Grote (University of Tübingen) provided a concise overview of the ethical and epistemological questions surrounding medical AI systems. The focus was on responsibility, transparency, and fairness, as well as embedding ethical reflection in technical research. Additionally, discussions addressed what and how machines learn, how automated decision-making systems operate, and how AI changes our horizons of thought and knowledge, with consequences for research, societal, and clinical use.

Prof. Dr. Hannah Ruschemeier (University of Osnabrück) examined the legal framework of the EU AI Act and its implications for the use of AI in medicine. Effective regulation through democratically legitimized norm-setting in the areas of AI and data is necessary. Ethical arguments should not be viewed as obstacles, but rather as essential for effective and progressive regulation.

World Cafés Foster Interdisciplinary Exchange

A central element consisted of four parallel World Cafés on the topics of causality, AI-physician-patient interaction, AI governance, and data ethics. The format enabled intensive discussions in smaller groups and was particularly appreciated by participants.

The discussions led to new connections between the various CAIMed research groups, which will be further developed in future projects.

Outlook

The positive feedback on the World Café format demonstrates that CAIMed Meet-Ups promote scientific exchange and advance the development of trustworthy AI solutions for personalized medicine. Additional meet-ups are being planned.